Personal accounts of studying in Japan, told by people living it.
Meet Hien, originally from Vietnam, who has lived in Japan for about one year. While studying, Hien started working part-time in Japan at a coffee shop as a barista. It’s a very real “starter job” path for students and new arrivals looking up work in Japan or jobs in Japan because it’s accessible, it fits
Meet Long, a Vietnamese student who chose to study in Japan because it offered something that felt rare: a strong education system at a more affordable cost, plus the chance to study in English while still living in a Japanese environment every day. Long’s story is especially relatable for people who want to know how
Meet Danmarl, originally from the Philippines, who has lived in Japan for six years. Danmarl did middle school and high school in Japan, which made daily life here feel more familiar compared to someone arriving for the first time as an adult. Today, Danmarl works in Japan as a software engineer—one of the most common
Meet Danmarl Butad, originally from the Philippines. Danmarl didn’t move to Japan alone as an adult he moved here with his parents and ended up doing middle school and high school in Japan. Today, he works in Japan as a software engineer, but his moving journey story starts much earlier: with family, school life, and
Meet Hien, originally from Vietnam, who moved to Japan to study at a Japanese language school. The decision came from two places: wanting to learn Japanese seriously, and a long-time love of anime that made the language feel more personal. Hien’s move was smoother than many newcomers because a language school agency in Vietnam supported
Meet Hien, a Vietnamese student who chose to study in Japan after starting Japanese at a language school back home. Hien didn’t begin with a complicated “master plan.” The first step was simple: learning Japanese in Vietnam, then using the school’s study abroad support to turn interest into a real move. In this interview, Hien
Meet Issa Kachenje, originally from Tanzania, who first came to Japan as an international student and has since completed both a Master’s and PhD here. Today, Issa works in Japan as a research fellow and academic editor, while also teaching English part-time. This work interview is for anyone searching work in Japan or jobs in
Keith is originally from China and came to study in Japan through a university exchange program. What started as a one-year language school experience in Tokyo later turned into graduate school at Waseda University. In this interview, Keith shares why Japan felt like the right place to study abroad, what was harder than expected, and
Meet Keith, originally from China, who moved to Japan around 2015–2016 and has now lived here for over 10 years. Keith studied Japanese as a major back in China, and decided the best way to improve was to move to Japan and build real life experience through the language. In this interview, Keith shares what
Meet Long, a Vietnamese who has lived in Japan for around three years. After coming to Japan as a student and graduating here, he chose to stay and build a career in Tokyo’s fast-moving startup scene. In this interview, Long shares what it’s really like to work in Japan, how found jobs in Japan as
Meet Vanessa, originally from India, with a life shaped by moving between countries and cultures. Before moving to Japan, Vanessa lived in Rwanda and later the UK, where six years in London included completing a BA in Fashion Design. In 2024, Vanessa relocated to Japan through a Japanese language school student visa, and started building
Meet Winnie, originally from China and now in Japan for her fourth year. After graduating from a university in Japan, Winnie decided to stay and experience real work life here instead of going straight back home. Today, Winnie works in social media and content creation, a role that blends international communication with creative fieldwork. This
Meet Vincent, originally from Malaysia, who came to Japan to study after getting curious about the culture through anime and, more importantly, through real friendships. For Vincent, studying in Japan wasn’t just a random “Japan looks cool” decision. It was shaped by meeting Japanese friends early on, learning Japanese before arriving, and choosing a path
Meet Joanne, a veteran English teacher with over 10 years of experience teaching preschool to elementary school students in both Japan and the Philippines. She’s worked in international school settings and is known for creating learning materials and supporting students with careful, level-matched instruction. Today, Joanne works at an international school in Tokyo. In this
Meet Ang, a student who came to Japan to study at a Japanese language school in Tokyo. For Ang, Japan wasn’t chosen randomly. It started with a long-time interest in Japanese culture and the desire to seriously learn a new language. What makes this story interesting is how practical it feels: choosing a school through
Meet Pascale, an American student who chose Japan not because it was the easiest path, but because an early exchange experience made Japan feel personal. What started as curiosity about languages and cultures turned into a decision to study in Japan, even without strong Japanese ability at the beginning. In this interview, Pascale shares what
Meet Winnie, originally from China, who studied art history at International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo. The decision to study in Japan was influenced by family, a desire to experience more cultures, and a turning point during COVID that made studying overseas in the “original plan” feel less realistic. In this interview, Winnie shares why
Meet Ang, from Canada, who studied at the University of Toronto and moved to Japan nearly two years ago. Ang came to Japan after years of traveling here during school breaks. Each trip made Japan feel more familiar, until the curiosity turned into a bigger question: what would it be like to actually live here,
Let us introduce you to Jacob, originally from China, who moved to Tokyo for his higher education. Today, he has found work in his chosen field. Jacob now works at a cosmetics trading company, handling sales and product development, and the busiest season is the annual beauty trade shows. Tokyo was chosen for a simple
Meet Pascale, an American graduate from Washington, D.C. who studied Art and Japanese at university. The move to Japan didn’t start with a big life plan: it started with a short scholarship exchange in high school and a host family stay that made Japan feel personal. Later, moving as a student felt more manageable thanks
Meet Vincent, originally from Malaysia, who came to Japan about eight years ago. He arrived in Japan at a young age, studied Japanese and later mechanical engineering at university. Japan first stood out to him for the people and pop culture like anime, but what made it feel like a long-term home was the community
Meet Winnie, an international student from China who moved to Japan three years ago to study art history at International Christian University (ICU). Moving to Tokyo sounded exciting at first, but practical issues soon emerged. Winnie handled most things alone, from securing an apartment before arriving, to learning ward office procedures step by step, and
Tokyo International University (TIU) is known for its commitment to global education and for offering a supportive environment for students from all over the world, and I can confirm this personally. As a transfer student who completed my degree in just two years at TIU, I want to share my experiences — the good, the